Why Employees Consider us a Best Place to Work

Why Employees Consider us a Best Place to Work

We stand out from the rest

Over the summer of 2015 iSoftStone’s Kirkland Washington Office was recognized by Puget Sound Business Journal (PSBJ) as one of Washington’s Best Workplaces. Each year PSBJ looks for companies where employees genuinely love their job and their work environment. The program allows current employees to rate their workplace by answering questions related to job satisfaction, relationships, camaraderie, and opportunities for growth and advancement.

So what exactly makes iSoftStone a Best Workplace?

Our culture sets us apart from the rest. Our employees work hard, and play harder. iSoftStone knows that employees work hard, and as a result we regularly looks for opportunities to bring staff together, and even has a designated culture committee who plan fun activities for staff year round. Whether it be a hot dog cart rental with corresponding relay race (in full hot dog suits and goggles), or enjoying a matinee showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we take our fun seriously.

Each year we host two company meetings where staff can learn about what’s happening throughout the business, followed by a themed after party. We have an annual holiday party with serious food, dancing, and prizes and in the summer we host a company picnic for employees and their families. But one of our favorite activities is hosting regular in-office barbecues on our balcony overlooking Lake Washington. The bottom line is that our employees build strong relationships with each other, which inspires great work.

We are proud to have a vibrant, collaborative, empowering work environment. To support the framework of a strong team, our programs develop and celebrate our amazing staff. Our Kudos programs lets our employees recognize each other for going the extra mile. Kudos winners are then eligible for great prizes at each company meeting. We also have a booming referral bonus program to recognize individuals who bring in new business or new iSoftStone employees. Team recognition is encouraged too, so it’s not uncommon for a manager to take their staff out for lunch, or to the movies just to get a hard working bunch away from their screens and into some fun.

From a growth and development perspective, iSoftStone sees professional development as a crucial aspect of our strong culture. Managers are expected to have continuous conversations with their Direct Reports around career development, both in their 1:1’s and as part of the performance appraisal process. Beyond that employees are encouraged to attend an ongoing Lunch and Learn sessions, or intensives, such as a Technical Project Management Boot Camp. For those that are starting a new role, or who want guidance, we have a Mentoring Program. We are currently in the process of developing a blog site, where employees can demonstrate their industry expertise through thought leadership. Collectively, these initiatives help our employees continue to grow and excel.

We sincerely want to make a difference in the communities we live in and work for. As a company, one expression of community we enjoy is found through coming together over a good meal. It is for this reason we partner with organizations like Food LifeLine, Boston Foodbank, and Northwest harvest who share our vision that no one should go hungry, starting with those in our own neighborhoods. We’ve also had the pleasure of working closely with the Make a Change Foundation (MAC) and Hand-in-Hand. In 2014 and 2015, our employees helped raise a total of over $22,000 dollars to purchase food, clothes, basic necessities, and toys for families in need during the holiday season.

At an individual level, we encourage employees to pursue community outreach opportunities that mesh with their personal passions. Whether it’s dumping a bucket of ice on their head for ALS, walking 60 miles for Breast Cancer, working with women prisoners in Uganda, or rocking out for Cystic Fibrosis, we go beyond simply making a difference. We become the difference. All this to say, life at the Stone is pretty great, and we’re always looking to add new talented individuals who want to love their work, while loving where they work. Join us, we’re hiring!